Finding Peace
by WeSketchLife
Summary: You always want something until you have it, then you realize that it came with an immense price you didn't know you had to pay. Leaving you with very difficult choices to make with very severe consequences.
1. Chapter 1 part 1

Chapter 1 part 1.

 _It's all fun and games until someone sinks the ship._

* * *

Strong men carried heavy crates onto the small Ionian ship. They heaved and grunted quietly, but their sounds felt like thunderous shouts in the otherwise silent and vacant port. A young Ionian monk stood on the pier by the ship, her dark eyes followed their every move warily. Her hands, hidden underneath long white sleeves were tight fists.

Emra felt the icy ocean wind bite through the soft linen fabric and whip her braided hair, but didn't shiver.

They weren't _strong_ men, not to her at least, when earlier she spared them a singular _look_. Emra was sure she could fight them and win with ease. But as instructed, she did not comment on the matter, even if it pained her to hold her tongue. Instead, she would often hiss under her breath when one of them carelessly dumped a crate onto the deck.

A hefty breath left her and Emra guided her gaze to the village embedded into the cliff, looking for something else to keep her wary mind off the precious cargo. All the lights disappeared one by one as it got closer to midnight.

This made the monk only antsier, considering the time was drawing near.

Finally, she heard the soft patter of feet on the wooden boards. One glance over her shoulder and she could see a soft light approaching her.

Eight men came into sight, four of whom were guards that blocked the view of a fifth man in the middle. Only the top of his head was visible to her. The other three, she recognized, even though they took the unnecessary action of wearing masks and hoods to protect their identity.

She greeted them with a nod.

"Counselors."

The smallest and fattest of the men stepped forward. "Is everything in it's place?"

"Yes," Emra said, her hand fluttered briefly to gesture to the ship, before it quickly settled back in the fold across her chest. "They have just finished."

"Good. Good. Good." The man rhythmically shook his head with his words – Emra smiled; she could already see it severed from it's neck, bouncing off of a staircase, leaving a trail of blood and,-

"Please bring him forward."

The young monk's violent fantasy was disrupted and she focused on the here and now. Two of the five men behind the counselors stepped aside so that the fifth man could pass.

" _This_...is the Golden Demon?" Emra said, barely glancing at him.

The first and only notable thing about him was his height. He was very, very tall. Other than that, he might classify for the most ordinary man in Ionia.

"Yes," The councilman said gravely. "Emra, meet the Golden Demon, also known as Khada Jhin. Jhin meet your aid, Emra."

"A pleasure to meet you, young lady." Jhin said hastely, a strained smile on his lips as he looked at Emra intently. "Did you make sure they followed the instructions correctly?"

Emra gave the counselor a look, he nodded, so she complied.

"Yes. Like I told the counselors _just now_ , everything is done as instructed."

"My tools were brought to my cabin?"

Emra stared long and hard at the tall man. "Yes, they were. _Everything_ was done as instructed."

"And the crates are still sealed?"

Was he deaf? Or was he dense? Emra didn't know and did not care.

"Yes, they,-"

"And they were put in the right left corner?"

Exasperation began to bubble up to the surface, like the paws of a million tiny spiders crawling over her face. From the corner of her eye, she saw the counselors take a step back and the guards a step forward and was barely able to restrain herself.

" _Yes_. They are still _sealed_ and safely _tucked_ away in the right left corner of _your_ cabin as _instructed_."

The tall man nodded and visibly relaxed. But he looked at her with new interest. Like he was trying to open up her face. This only made her glare at him more.

The small councilman cleared his throat. "Well, now, that introductions are over, let's proceed shall we?"

"Yes." Jhin agreed.

Emra said nothing, that was the only thing she was able to do for now. Not saying anything that would make them reconsider putting her on this mission. _For now, show restraint, show them_ patience _._

She breathed through her nose, slowly feeling the spiders fall from her face, leaving sticky webs as they crawled back to the pit of her stomach.

The two other counselors each produced a sealed scroll. The sole female counselor gave Jhin her scroll and Emra received hers from the other counselor.

"Tonight this ship will set sail far north of Piltover. It will take a couple of days sail," councilman said "Once you arrive at the shores of the city, you have your first assignment."

Kadha Jhin broke the golden seal and unrolled the scroll, his eyebrows tucked together thoughtfully before a wide spread smile broke across his face.

"Excellent!" He looked at the short counselor. "I will be needing to restock my supplies immediately afterward, but it will be a marvelous way to see what my new brushes can do."

Emra frowned, wondering if they were speaking in metaphors to keep her out of the conversation. Only then did she notice that they hadn't bound him with chains and felt her prejudices confirmed.

The other, taller councilman nodded. "We have a contact in Piltover who will help you to get anything you need before your missions in Noxus."

Emra pocketed her scroll, she did not feel it was necessary to read it...yet.

"If you have no further questions," the short councilman began as their meeting was coming to an end. "The last thing I wish to say to the both of you, is something to remember if you were to fail. Ionia's suffering through this horrid ordeal must end, not only for Ionia's sake, but for all of Valoran. Noxus must not be allowed to destroy it's beauty."

Emra blinked at the last part. Surely the councilman had to be joking, why would Noxus want to destroy Ionia's 'beauty' when it was clear as day they were after the unused magical properties?

The young monk internally shook her head and shrugged. It did not matter.

Then, in unison, the counselors said. "May the spirits guide your way and safe us all."

They bowed, the guards followed suite. Emra too did a bow, though it was not as deep or as gracious as that of the councilmen. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Jhin on the other hand put the counselors to shame in his extravagant bow.

His weirdness was starting to vex her.

When they all rose, Jhin turned to her and gestured with his hand to the ship.

"Shall we, my dear?"

Nostrils flared, Emra turned sharply away from his hand, walking up the gangplank onto the ship. The tall man followed her onto the ship.

In a few moments, the ship left the harbor, trading the Ionian shores for the darkness of the open sea.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

So for the people who already the old version of this story, nothing new might've happened, which is true. But I still hope you enjoyed the new version of this story none the less.

Updates will be irregular as always. ;)

~Nana Ba


	2. Chapter 1 part 2

Chapter 1 part 2.

 _It's all fun and games until someone sinks the ship._

* * *

"So, my dearest, shall we go below deck and get acquainted?"

"What?!"

Emra had been watching the already dim light disappear in the distance, feeling hollow on the inside as she left Ionia behind. But, misunderstanding Jhin's words, almost snapped her neck turning to look at him.

"My," Jhin chuckled quietly at her reaction. "How lovely."

Emra narrowed her eyes, the earlier irritation still close to the surface. And now her neck hurt.

"Come again?"

"Oh I do beg your pardon," Yet again he bowed, his voice full of sincerity. "I meant no offense."

Emra wrinkled her nose in disgust.

He was truly pathetic—how could the council ever think, or at least the shadow council for that matter, that this man could make a _dent_ in a war against the might of the Empire of Noxus?

"Whatever." Was her curt response.

Jhin however did not look at all fazed by her rudeness. On the contrary, as the man rose back to his outrageous height, he looked absolutely delighted.

Which in return, gave Emra the sense he might be touched in the head. Should she pity him? No, this made everything easier.

"Would you be so kind to take the lead, then?" He made _yet another_ grand gesture with his arm.

No, she would definitely not pity him. She had her own mission to focus on. She guided him below deck, straight to the captains cabin, now Jhin's cabin.

As soon as they were there, even when he asked her four times and she clearly told him they followed those ridiculous instructions, the tall man checked on his cargo.

The spiders came back with doubled numbers.

She needed to stay calm, they were a long way from Piltover shores still, but it was getting harder to contain herself—now so many restrictions had been removed along with the land underneath her feet, Emra wondered how long she could keep it together.

She never said no to a challenge.

Yes. Everything stood as he imagined, not a thing out of place or out of line. Good. He opened the smallest crate sitting on top of everything else. The only crate that mattered.

Among the hay filling, wrapped in a ruby red cloth, was another box. A treasure chest. Jhin smiled. He would only take a peek.

He did. But he couldn't help but look again. He closed the lid and opened it a second later, this time barely stroking his fingers over its delicate lines. He took a deep breath, closed the lid and swearing he would not look again. And yet, he couldn't be satisfied until the last _final_ look. His hand wrapped around the cool ivory grip. He closed his eyes, his heart beating faster in his chest. A perfect fit.

He took it out of its velvet lined box and began to wonder... _what if?_

Jhin looked over his shoulder.

The monk sat in a chair near the desk in the middle of the room. The chair, like the desk, was of Ionian make, with deep patterns etched in to the cherry wooden frame. The cover was a bright violet with white golden patterns.

Ugly wasn't a word he liked to use often, but in this case he'd gladly make an exception.

His eyes locked onto Emra's face, something about that...needed a little more…

"What?" the young woman snapped yet again when he stared too long for her comfort.

Hm. No. That reaction was all wrong.

He needed to wait until the composition was perfect, he couldn't bare ruining such an intriguing canvas on an _ugly_ chair.

Putting his new brush back inside the cushioned box, Jhin closed the crate holding in a sigh.

"Are you touched in the head?"

Jhin turned around, of course Emra hadn't seen what he had been doing, but she surely could hear him opening and closing _something_ over and over again.

He turned on his most magnificent smile.

"Darling, we _all_ are touched in the head on way or another."

Emra snorted, her arms crossing over her chest again and a leg thrown over the other underneath her linen monk attire. "Can't say I disagree."

He suddenly pointed to the golden medallion hanging from her neck to her chest.

"Those are the symbols of the Shuura clan, in the North region of Dorrin, correct?"

The sudden change in subject made her frown, but Emra allowed it since there wasn't much else to do or to talk about.

"You know of the High Mountains?"

"I performed there once or twice."

Emra's frown deepened, but then she smiled.

"What kind of performances did you do? Was that something you did before you became a murderer?"

Her tone had been purposefully condescending and her portrayal of him sounded as if it all were just some happy accident. Jhin shifted in his stance and he looked at her thoughtfully. Then walked over to the desk and he pulled the chair out in front of him to sit. When he was comfortably seated, Jhin asked. "If I recall, your monastery teaches patience and wisdom?"

Emra's jaw jutted out.

"What of it?"

"You're quite aggressive for a monk of a monastery whole values those two particular virtues. Is that the reason why they choose you to aid me?"

"You're quite fucking _weak_ looking to be referred to as a demon." She spat back, her angry words flowing out her mouth like black tar. As she felt it dripping down her front, she noticed that she was standing, hands on the desk, ready to flip it over.

No.

She breathed, remembered her mantra and walked away.

"That was magnificent!" She heard him call and knew from his voice he stood up. "Where are you going, my dear?"

"None of your fuc,-" She swallowed the word and opened the door, slamming it closed behind her.

As Emra closed her cabin door, she leaned against it and closed her eyes, taking a deep shuddering breath until she felt the spiders leave her alone once more.

It would take them many more day's before they reached Piltover. She must not loose control during those many more day's.

Looking at her own neatly stacked luggage, she felt the weight of mission once more on her shoulders. Walking over to her bed, she retrieved the scroll she got much earlier in the night. Reading it once over, Emra removed her medallion and strapped it around the scroll before opening the small round window of her cabin and throwing both of them out.


End file.
